CHENNAI: Nine artists from different professional backgrounds have come together for Colour Confluence, an exhibition that brings their varied artistic styles and perspectives under one roof. On view at Kadambari Art Gallery, Dakshina-Chitra Museum, the exhibition reflects their shared passion for art, nurtured through their association with Chennai Weekend Artists, an informal collective that meets across the city to sketch, draw and paint.
The group includes artists, professionals and hobbyists who gather at different locations in Chennai to practise their art. While only a few pursue art full-time, the collective offers its members an opportunity to learn from one another and develop their skills.
“We have known each other for a long time through Chennai Weekend Artists. We come from different fields, but sketching brings us together. Most of us have been practising individually and this exhibition allowed us to bring our works into a gallery and present them to a wider audience,” says Harathy Balakumar, one of the participating artists.
The exhibition features works that reflect the artists’ distinct interests and approaches. Harathy, who has around 25 years of experience in art and teaching, works primarily with watercolour and gouache, creating delicate florals and serene landscapes inspired by nature and light. “The subjects vary across the exhibition, from the ocean and coastal life to architecture, Tamil heritage and the changing qualities of light. Arulmozhi Manavalan explores the connection between the sea and coastal landscapes through her work Neithal: Kadalum Kadalsaarndha Idamum, while architect Surya RV draws attention to historic buildings, monuments and sculptures in Echoes of Tamil Heritage. Fermi, a software engineer and self-taught artist, uses watercolour to capture the mood of everyday scenes in Beautiful World We Live In. Lakshmanan, meanwhile, explores nature and outdoor painting through When Sunlight Speaks. T. Manavalan, a marine engineer, draws inspiration from ships, the sea and figure studies,” adds Harathy.
The exhibition also features Geetha Devi’s explorations of landscapes, portraits and vintage imagery, Vigneshkumar’s expressive oil paintings, and Vijayalakshmi’s Play of Light, which explores the movement and changing effects of light through bold strokes and abstraction.
Though their mediums and subjects differ, the artists share an interest in observing their surroundings and interpreting them through their individual creative languages. The exhibition offers them an opportunity to move beyond their regular practice sessions and see how their works come together in a shared space. Colour Confluence is on view at Kadambari Art Gallery until October 28.